


Under the Tree

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Home and Family [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Tree, Established Relationship, Feels, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 09:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2767595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Steve and Bucky's first real Christmas together since before Bucky got shipped out, and they both want to make it special.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under the Tree

There was a big tree in the common area of Avengers Tower, but Steve and Bucky had put up a real one up on their floor. They'd gone out shopping together to get the ornaments – someone had asked Bucky to sign an autograph, which had just about made Steve's day – and had JARVIS help them out with the electrical testing once they'd gotten the lights home. He was pretty sure Natasha had snuck in and added a few things to the bags while he wasn't looking – one of the ornaments had last year's date on it and featured Captain America in a red, white and blue sleigh – but Bucky had insisted even the most ridiculous ones go up.

Steve loved it. He and Bucky had never been able to afford a tree when they shared a room, and the last few years Steve hadn't bothered to do any decorating at all. This year, though, it felt like the entire Christmas season had its sparkle back.

"JARVIS, lights please."  As they dimmed, Steve stepped back in order to properly appreciate the view. "It's perfect."

"You're delusional."

Steve glanced over at his fiancé, his own smile widening at the grin on Bucky's face. "Hey, you're the one who insisted we put "The Sleigh Bells of Freedom" on there."

Bucky made an amused sound. "You know, I bet whichever of the Hallmark employees came up with that one was snickering about it for weeks." Then his expression softened. "But yeah, it's pretty great."

Steve nodded, pleased, then winced as he realized something. "I'll have to get you something else for under the tree, though. Your real present won't exactly fit." They both had plenty of back pay from the federal government, thanks to Tony and Pepper's lawyers, and after years of not being able to give Bucky more than sketches he hadn't wanted to hold anything back. It was their first real Christmas since before Bucky had gotten shipped out, and he wanted to do it right.

"About that...."

Steve turned at the sudden hesitation in Bucky's voice. He knew the expression on his best friend's face, the one he always got when deciding between two tough choices, and worry flickered through Steve's stomach. "It's okay," he said quietly, the tree and everything else forgotten. Bucky was doing so well now, but that didn't mean the nightmares had gone away completely. "I keep telling you, you can tell me."

Bucky looked at him, confused, then his expression softened. "It's nothing about that." In a sudden moment of resolve, he took his phone out of his pocket and pulled up something on the screen. Then he handed it to Steve. "Merry Christmas."

Steve looked down at the phone, which showed the picture of a decently-sized cabin sitting in what looked like a small meadow. "It's beautiful."

"There's a little town nearby, really big on vets. Natasha and I were there 20 minutes, and I got thanked for my service twice. I don't think they even recognized who I was." The words tumbled out of him, like he'd been holding them in for too long. "And there's this room at the back, where the sunlight is so good it's practically begging for you to set up a studio. You said you'd never really gotten the chance to paint since the serum fixed your color blindness, but this would be the perfect spot."

Finally, Steve realized what he was trying to say. "You bought us a house." The words came out half-choked, his throat too tight with emotion for his voice to work properly.

"Yeah, and since it's both of ours I know that means it's kind of a cheat—" The utterly scandalized look Steve shoots him cut off the rest of that nonsense, and Bucky's entire body sagged with relief. "I like living in the tower, I really do, but we've never really had a place that was just ours.  Someplace that we knew would still be there, no matter what, where we didn't have to worry about being overrun by reporters or having the government track us down." His voice was rough, even as his smile flickered upward. "If nothing else, we'll need someplace to store all the souvenirs from those road trips you've got planned for our senior years."

Steve swiped at his wet cheeks, trying desperately for the words to encompass the sheer depth love he felt for the man standing next to him, then gave up and pulled him close for a deep, intense kiss.  When they broke apart, he laughed a little and wrapped his arms around Bucky. "It's perfect," he said finally, the words still thick. "I'm going to have to go out and buy you about a dozen other things to even come close to matching it, but it's perfect."

"Don't be an idiot." Bucky's voice was gruff but warm, his breath tickling Steve's neck. "Just being here with you is more than enough of a present."

"And you think it isn't for me? You pretty much qualify as every good thing I ever want for the rest of my life." He pulled back far enough to reach into his pocket, handing the small metal key to Bucky. "Here. It's not fair I get my Christmas present early and you don't get yours."

Bucky is familiar enough with Steve's keys that he recognizes it instantly. "You're giving me a motorcycle."

"Same model as mine, though if you want to swap it in for a new one we can. Or a car, if you'd like that better." He felt faintly embarrassed, and the fact that he couldn't read the expression on Bucky's face didn't help matters. "Anything that lets you go places whenever and wherever you want to. I'll probably always immediately follow you unless you tell me otherwise, but you shouldn't have to ever be the one waiting on anyone or anything else."

Bucky's eyes warmed again, and he dove in for another kiss that Steve was more than happy to take as a positive response. When they broke apart this time, he leaned his forehead against Steve's. "I won't ever want to go someplace you aren't," he murmured. "But it'll be nice to be able to keep up with you."

Steve pulled him close again. "Suddenly, I have a vested interest in never again riding my bike through an explosion."

He felt Bucky smile. "And that right there is the rest of my Christmas present."

Steve just laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my weekly posts and original short fiction on my [blog](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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